Spoiler alert in the odd chance someone who is interested doesn't know the results.
I thought the Hungarian Grand Prix was at least the second best race of the year, maybe the best. Rain always seems to mix things up a bit and yesterday's race was no exception.
Frankly, Riccardo has really surprised me this season. It shows how much of a difference the car makes and he is probably basically the same driver as last year.
Vettel's struggles / bad luck continue to surprise me.
I've only been watching F1 for a few years and don't full understand the safety car rules. How was it that the current race leaders lost out so much when the safety car came out? I had assumed as soon as the safety car came out, no cars could pass (other than in the pits). Riccardo talked about "good luck / timing" on the first safety car. It looks like the leaders (1-4 at least) had just passed pit lane. How did that hurt them?
Overall a great race; the last 10 laps were riveting.
Forza Ferrari!
When the safety car comes out, they line up behind it. Any time advantage you had, is now gone.
I understand that under a safety / full track caution, any "time gap" between the cars is lost (e.g. if the first place car was 10 seconds ahead of the second place car, the second place car can close up right behind the first place car).
I also understand that if the first and second place car pull into the pits at the same time and the second place car emerges from pit lane ahead, the second place car is now first.
In addition, I understand that if the first and second place cars pit and the third, fourth and fifth place cars don't, that the former first and second place cars are now behind the former third, fourth and fifth place cars.
What I don't understand (if I have yesterday's events / sequence correct) is how if all, say top 8 cars all pit under the safety car, how their position on the track when the safety car is declared matters? It appears that the first through fourth? cars (Rosberg, Bottas?, Alonzo and Vettel) had just passed the pit lane entry when the safety car was called out. Riccardo was apparently able to duck into pit lane almost immediately. Rosberg through Vettel pitted the next time they came around. Since Riccardo didn't pass cars 1 through 4 in the pits, how did he emerge in first?
All of the first seven or so cars pitted. When didn't the safety car form ahead of Rosberg after he pitted?